PROCEDURAL GUIDANCE FOR EVALUATING WETLAND MITIGATION PROJECTS IN CALIFORNIA'S COASTAL ZONE
Wetland enhancement relates to activities undertaken to improve the habitat and function of an existing wetland. The need for enhancement implies that a wetland with some functional capacity exists, but that specific activities could significantly improve the habitat present and the level of a function, or expand the types of functions present. Maintaining the mouth of a lagoon to insure tidal exchange, or altering an existing wetland habitat type to increase the likelihood of establishment of an endangered species are examples of enhancement measures.
As with restoration, wetland enhancement may be part of a proposed mitigation project, or enhancement projects may be completed for other reasons. But whether wetland enhancement is undertaken as part of a mitigation project or strictly for the purposes of improving an existing wetland (i.e., without a compensatory mitigation requirement), the general procedures for evaluating wetland performance are directly applicable. An ecological assessment of the enhancement site should be completed before any activities are undertaken. This information is key to determining success, and is used to establish the goals, objectives, and performance standards. The overarching purpose of enhancement (to improve or expand wetland habitat and functions( should also be considered in developing the goals and objectives.
The processes for developing a monitoring program and evaluating the performance of a wetland enhancement project are essentially identical to those described above for in-kind mitigation. The monitoring program may or may not include concurrent assessment of reference sites, depending on the type of project and the type of information collected before enhancement activities occurred. Tracking the performance level, early identification of problems, and determining if the goals, objectives, and performance standards have been met are equally important to all enhancement and mitigation projects.
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Evaluating the Performance of noncompensatory Wetland Restoration Projects
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